Search Databases
Townsville Citylibraries has a wide variety of databases to access covering a large range of subject matter including the arts, music, literature, law, legislation, standards, encyclopaedias, dictionaries, general reference, family history, local history, business, news, working life, health, science, and junior students, and young adult students.
How is searching in a database different from using Google?
There is a lot of irrelevant and incorrect information online. Databases on this page provide free access to current information from authoritative sources, many offering automatic citations: great for reference lists.
Database connection key
- Connect: These databases are available free online. If accessing the database outside the library, you may require your library membership card number to login.
- Connect @ Library: These databases are only available at your library. Drop in to Townsville Citylibraries and login using the free public computers.
- Connect Offsite: Townsville Citylibraries provides our customers with access to databases via sources such as State Library of Queensland. You may have to register with State Library of Queensland for a free e-services library card to access the database.
Business | News | Working Life
Australian Financial Review Newspapers
Provides a full colour digital copy of the newspaper online, including a fully searchable three-year archive of back issues. Individual articles can be translated into over 100 languages and can be downloaded, printed, or emailed.
Notice: The Australian Financial Review newspaper is only accessible while connected to a public library computer or MiTownsville Wi-Fi network and cannot be accessed from home.
For more information, please ask your friendly staff at Citylibraries.
Business Source Complete
Provides online full-text access to approximately 3,000 business journals and magazines covering subjects such as marketing, management, MIS, POM, accounting, finance, and economics.
Notice: Requires library card number to access.
Gale: Entrepreneurship
A comprehensive database that covers all aspects of starting and operating a business, including accounting, finance, human resources, management, marketing, tax, and more.
Experience an easy-to-browse interface mapped to four key stages—plan, fund, start, and manage—to fit your research needs at any point in your business's development.
Notice: Requires library card number to access.
GCF Global
Free self-paced online courses that teach essential skills for work and life such as technology, reading, maths and applying for jobs.
Free to sign up online, no library number is required. Click connect and complete the registration form on the GCF website to create your username and password.
Harvard Business Review Press Collection eBooks
HBR Press publishes for the general, professional and academic markets on the topics of leadership, strategy, innovation, technology and management. Access over 600 eBook Business titles across various subjects and topics.
LinkedIn Learning
More than 10,000 courses from beginner to advanced with video tutorials to learn the latest commercial software, creative and business skills, including web design and job search tools.
Access via app: Library ID is townsvillecitylibraries
Notice: Requires library card number and PIN to access.
MyCareerMatch
Looking for help with changing careers or writing job applications and resumes? MyCareerMatch is an online survey that takes just 15 minutes to complete and will provide you with a personalised Career Report with links to a Professional Resume Guide and Online Resume Builder.
Notice: Requires library card number to access.
NewsBank newspapers
This fully searchable online resource offers the complete text of thousands of news articles, editorials, obituaries, classifieds and more. Coverage for most titles starts in the 1980s, 1990s or 2000s and continues through the present day. Access Australia includes influential news sources from every state and territory with some digital images available.
Notice: To access outside the library, click ‘remote access’ and then ‘click here for additional log in options’. Enter the library’s name: Townsville Library Service, and your library card number.
Onsite access via IP authentication | Remote access via barcode authentication | Terms of Use
Junior | Young Adult | Parents
Busy Things
A colourful and quirky website with over 115 activities covering areas such as problem solving, creative development, reasoning and numeracy for early learning and special needs. Aimed at children aged three to eight.
Notice: Requires library card number to access.
Gale: National Geographic Kids
This collection is comprised of the National Geographic Kids Magazine, from 2009-present (3-month embargo), along with a selection of National Geographic books, maps, video and images. These high-quality informational texts are available for primary, upper elementary and middle school in the subjects of arts, social studies, and science.
Notice: Requires a State Library of Queensland account.
Gale: Science
Provides engaging, interactive 3D models to help students better visualize and understand concepts in biology, chemistry, earth and space science.
Notice: Requires library card number to access.
Kinderling Kids Radio
Australia’s most popular kids radio station, playing family-friendly music and shows for children aged 0-7. Download the Kinderling App to enjoy live music, stories, nursery rhymes, meditations and sleep audio.
Notice: Requires library card number to access. Kinderling will be withdrawing its subscription model to public libraries, effective from 21 March 2024. After this date, Kinderling Kids Radio content will no longer be accessible via Townsville Citylibraries.
Literacy Planet
This English literacy platform empowers students to improve spelling, reading, comprehension and grammar. It is curriculum-aligned, gamified learning that caters to children aged 5-15. Use your library card number and email address to create a free account.
Notice: Requires library card number to access.
Parent TV
This is a great video resource that supports parents and caregivers with the education, care and wellbeing of the children in their lives.
These videos are accessible for free through the State Library of Queensland's First 5 Forever webpage, no login necessary.
Rainforest Coding
Exciting adventures, interactive tutorials and fun scratch puzzles and games for children 5 years and up.
Makes learning Scratch programming easier and great fun for all!
Story Box Library
An online ‘reading room’ where children can connect, engage and be inspired by a range of quality Australian stories read on film by Australia’s wonderfully engaging storytellers. Access through the website on a computer or download the app to start watching.
Notice: Requires library card number to access.
Studiosity
Get online real-time tutoring help with your homework. Help is provided by tutors in English, Mathematics and the Sciences. Draft assignments can also be submitted to receive feedback on structure, choice of language, spelling/grammar and referencing.
There are hundreds of Australian Curriculum-based practice tests available to take for years 3-12, including NAPLAN quizzes. Tutors can also provide feedback on CV or resume help, speech writing and support for ESL and IELTS. Connect and get prompt support from qualified specialists.
Notice: Requires library card number to access.
Connect | Terms of Use | FAQ (Studiosity Help Centre)
World Book Kids
This verified, and trustworthy digital source of information is engaging for grades pre-K through high school, great for students, parents and educators.
Notice: Requires library card number to access.
Study | Lifelong Learning
Credo Reference
Dictionaries, encyclopaedias, thesauri, books of quotations, and atlases. Useful for quick research, definitions and crossword solving.
Gale: National Geographic Virtual Library
This database brings together a complete archive of National Geographic Magazine, every page of every issue; from 1888 – current (one month embargo). Includes National Geographic Traveler, History and Kids magazines.
The database also contains a cross-searchable collection of National Geographic books, images, maps and videos, with source citations for easy referencing.
Notice: Requires State Library of Queensland account to access.
GCF Global
Free self-paced online courses that teach essential skills for work and life such as technology, reading, maths and applying for jobs.
Free to sign up online, no library number is required. Click connect and complete the registration form on the NCC website to create your username and password.
Green File
An informative resource for anyone concerned about the issues facing our planet. This resource contains a range of books, journals, essays, magazines, research reports, videos and pamphlets that can be accessed online.
Notice: Requires library card number to access.
Haynes Manuals AllAccess
Provides free online access to a library of manuals for hundreds of car and motorcycle makes and models, with up-to-date content including common repairs, routine maintenance and servicing procedures.
Notice: Requires library card number to access.
LinkedIn Learning
More than 10,000 courses from beginner to advanced with video tutorials to learn the latest commercial software, creative and business skills, including web design and job search tools.
Access via App: Library ID is townsvillecitylibraries
Notice: Requires library card number and PIN to access.
Macquarie Dictionary and Thesaurus
Provides users with access to the most up-to-date database of Australian English, with annual updates of new words, along with its companion reference the Macquarie Thesaurus.
Notice: Requires State Library of Queensland account to access.
Smart Precinct Academy's Digital Skills
In partnership with the Queensland Government and Smart Precinct NQ, these FREE courses are available to equip you with the skills, knowledge and confidence to thrive in the digital world! Whether you’re a beginner eager to learn, or a pro seeking to enhance your skills, these courses cater to all levels of expertise.
Studiosity
Get online real-time tutoring help with your homework. Help is provided by tutors in English, Mathematics and the Sciences. Draft assignments can also be submitted to receive feedback on structure, choice of language, spelling/grammar and referencing.
There are hundreds of Australian Curriculum-based practice tests available to take for years 3-12, including NAPLAN quizzes. Tutors can also provide feedback on CV or resume help, speech writing and support for ESL and IELTS. Connect and get prompt support from qualified specialists.
Notice: Requires library card number to access.
Connect | Terms of Use | FAQ (Studiosity Help Centre)
The Times Digital Archive
Full text of The Times (London) newspaper from 1785-2014. All articles included in The Times Digital Archive are displayed as digital page images and all allow full-text searching.
Notice: Requires State Library of Queensland account to access.
Trove
Search Trove to explore amazing collections from Australian libraries, universities, museums, galleries and archives. It’s free and available online all day, every day.
Everything you would find on a visit to a library or museum can be found in Trove.
World Book Advanced
A great searchable reference tool that includes full encyclopaedic and multimedia databases supplemented with online books, primary sources, website links, Back in Time articles, special reports and more.
Notice: Requires library card number to access.
Language Learning
AMES
A free online resource that provides free courses to learn English, focusing on living, studying, and working in Australia for students and new migrants from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.
CloudLibrary Language Collection
Provides library members with access to LOTE material in eBook and eAudiobook format in up to 25 languages. This collection can be easily accessed either via the cloudLibrary app or our cloudLibrary web interface.
Notice: Requires library card number and PIN to access.
LOTE4Kids
This engaging website allows children to read and listen to books in World Languages for free at home. Each book is provided with an English translation to help develop multilingual reading and listening skills.
Notice: Requires library card number to access.
Mango Languages
This language learning tool offers instruction in more than 70 languages, including English as a second language. Learn with conversations, practice pronunciation and speaking, recognise sentence patterns and compare your voice to a native speaker to get your pronunciation perfect.
Notice: Requires library card number to access as a guest or create an account.
Road to IELTS
This online program helps students develop skills to succeed in the IELTS (International English Language Testing System) exam. Road to IELTS includes 120 hours of intensive work on vocabulary, reading, writing, listening and speaking.
The IELTS General Training has been developed to test your everyday, non-academic English.
The IELTS Academic Training has been developed if you wish to study at a university or join a professional institution.
IELTS General Training Connect | IELTS Academic Training Connect
Family Research and Local History
Ancestry Library™
This genealogy database covers billions of records from census data to directories and photos to family trees.
Notice: Ancestry Library™ is only accessible while connected to a public library computer or MiTownsville Wi-Fi network and cannot be accessed from home.
For more information, please ask your friendly staff at Citylibraries.
Findmypast
A family history and genealogy website that contains millions of records covering Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, the Pacific Islands and the UK.
Notice: Findmypast is only accessible while connected to a public library computer or MiTownsville Wi-Fi network and cannot be accessed from home.
For more information, please ask your friendly staff at Citylibraries.
Health
Gale: Health and Wellness
Provides current, authoritative full-text health information from journals and reference titles. Search a full range of health-related issues, from current disease and disorder information to alternative medical practices.
Notice: Requires library card number to access.
Health Direct Australia
An Australian government website that offers a wide range of current, reliable information on important health topics.
MedlinePlus
A US Government website that has extensive information on health and medical issues.
RealTime Health™
This is a trusted source of health information in an accessible video format.
Law | Legislation | Standards
AustLII Australasian
Provides access to primary and secondary legal materials and a growing collection of law journals.
Australian Bureau of Statistics
Is Australia's national statistical agency and provides statistics on a wide range of economic and social matters.
National Construction Code Online
This initiative of the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) was developed to incorporate all on-site building and plumbing requirements into a single code. The NCC sets the minimum requirements for the design, construction and performance of buildings throughout Australia.
Free online; requires username and password. Click connect and complete the registration form on the NCC website to create your username and password.
Queensland Legislation
This website provides access to authorised Queensland legislation and related information—Bills introduced, Acts as passed, subordinate legislation as made and point-in-time reprints (consolidations) of Acts and subordinate legislation.
Reading Recommendations
AustLit
This website is a searchable, scholarly source of biographical, bibliographic, critical, and production information about Australian writers and writing. Also provides access to thousands of full-text historical Australian works.
Common Sense Media
A non-profit organization that provides entertainment ratings and reviews, learning resources, and advice so families can feel good about the choices they make for their kids.
Fantastic Fiction
A website for readers that lists authors, books and series and helps users keep track of what they have read and want to read while also recommending new authors to discover.
Gnooks
An artificial intelligence project where users can enter their favourite authors and get recommendations of authors they might like.
Good Reading Magazine
An Australian resource with information on everything about books including thousands of independent book reviews and lots of interesting author profiles, articles on writers' homes and bookshops, short stories, book trivia and more. Good Reading Magazine is informative and interactive.
Good Reading for Kids
Good Reading for Kids features author interviews, independent book reviews, sneak peeks inside books, extracts and podcasts about books for kids from 0-11 years of age. You'll also find fun book related activities and teachers' notes to download. Read this online.
Good Reading for Young Adults
Good Reading for Young Adults features author interviews, independent book reviews, student book reviews and short stories, sneak peeks inside books, extracts and podcasts about books for young adults from 12+. Read this online.
Literature Map
This author recommendation system allows users to enter an author’s name and be given a map of similar authors. The more people like an author and another author, the closer together the two authors will be on the map.
Stop, You're Killing Me!
An artificial intelligence project where users can enter their favourite authors and get recommendations of authors they might like.
Whichbook
This book recommendation system allows users to search for a book by mood and emotion, character and plot, or setting, rather than searching by title, author or genre. It’s great for finding underrated, diverse books and hidden gems.
For more information, please ask your friendly staff at Citylibraries.
